It is funded by membership subscriptions and its purpose is to "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for 'local' people".

The DCN has a Members' Board consisting of 22 councillors representing the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats and independent groups from all areas of the country.

The DCN has worked on a variety of issues; including local government finance, welfare reform, planning, housing, economic regeneration and health and wellbeing.

In 2015 the DCN commissioned renowned health think-tank The Kings Fund to explore the scope for districts playing a greater preventative role in the public health agenda[9] in a groundbreaking study 'A time of challenge and opportunity' [10] and academics from the University of Birmingham's Inlogov to investigate the best way districts should adapt to the English devolution agenda [11] in a report entitled 'Building Better Collaboration'.

This has included evidence on Community Budgets,[17] Local Enterprise Partnerships, Localisation of Council Tax,[18] Business Rates, Public Health,[19] Welfare Reform[20] and Private Rented Sector Housing.